On Wednesday night, the Rochester Americans displayed virtually no effort and lost to the Milwaukee Admirals.

It was a very deserving fate and the Amerks knew it. You don't try, you don't win.

On Friday night, the Amerks lost again, this time 4-2 to the Toronto Marlies in front of 5,909 fans at Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester Community War Memorial.

This time their effort said they deserved to win. Instead, their losing streak reached nine (0-7-2). They've gone seven straight without earning a point in the standings.

"It's a step but we need to step up the steps and find ways to win," left winger Luke Adam said of the team's determined effort.

Twice the Amerks erased one-goal deficits — early in the second period on a terrific dance-dash-and-drive goal by Joel Armia and early in the third on a rebound goal by Brayden Irwin — but the Marlies scored the game-winner with 5:38 remaining.

That Carrick's shot would elude Makarov seemed highly improbable, since the Amerks rookie had made so many high-quality saves.

But this is what happens to teams that have been decimated by injuries and recalls, and haven't won in three weeks.

Rather harmless shots find the net.

"It was kind of a weak third goal," Makarov admitted. "I should have had it."

Smith's empty-net goal came during an Amerks power play. The designed play was all set up but as Kevin Porter wound up and shot, his stick broke in two. Petter Granberg made the easy "block" and, from 135 feet away, Smith threw an empty-net bulls-eye down the ice.

"We break a stick, they shoot it out, and it bounces four times and goes into the middle of the net," coach Chadd Cassidy said.

He, too, knows this is what happens to teams mired in losing streaks. The losing is coming at the worst possible time.

With nine games remaining, the Amerks still sit ninth in the American Hockey League's Western Conference, just a point out of a playoff spot. But they're still just a point out because the Charlotte Checkers, eighth with 71 points, and Oklahoma City Barons, 10th with 69 points, were idle.

By Wednesday, when the Amerks return to the ice to play the Syracuse Crunch on home ice, the pothole could be a sinkhole. The Barons play Saturday and Sunday in Charlotte.

Also, seventh-place Rockford, a 5-4 winner over Grand Rapids on Friday, has a rematch with the Griffins on Saturday and is at Chicago on Sunday.

"No one in here is going to quit, I don't question that," Adam vowed.

They showed that on Friday against the Marlies, who lead the North Division with 85 points. They went hit for hit, battle for battle, shove for shove.

And that's despite missing five regular defensemen, both goalies and four of their top eight fowards to recall or injury.

"We can't focus on the guys that aren't in here," said left winger Colton Gillies, who was a beast on the forecheck. "We have focus on the guys that are here.

"The last 10 games, nine games, they're playoff games," Gillies said.

They'll have the weekend to regroup and recuperate. Cassidy used just three lines and played his top four defensemen — Nick Petrecki, Nick Crawford, Blake Kessel and Nick Tuzzolino — an inordinate amount.

"I don't think you could have asked anymore of anyone," Gillies said.

By Wednesday they should get injured defensemen Mark Pysyk and Matt MacKenzie back, as well as right winger Mike Zigomanis. Also, Mikhail Grigorenko may come here (or to the Sabres and force someone down) since his junior team has been eliminated.